Tuesday, August 9, 2011

P.O.P.: Weeding

This chapter touched me more than any of the others have.

One line I think worth remembering is when Carol finds Emma (the elderly lady at Blackberry Inn) weeding in the garden. Knowing she has all sorts of "aches and pains", Carol asks how she is feeling while wondering if she should be doing that sort of work at her age.

"...she smiled and said, 'My dear, much of the work in this world is done by people who don't feel so very well.' "They take a walk to the old cemetery and, while standing in front of the graves of Carol's parents, Emma begins to "weed out" Carol's heart in regards to her feelings about her parents and their deaths. I'd like to share a small section (hope I'm not infringing on copyright...yikes!) for those who don't have the book.

This really isn't Nature Study but I think it's worthy of Charlotte Mason to share:

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Emma: "Perhaps, dear, there are some other things you didn't get to say to her. Perhaps you've carried around guilt because you longed for a different sort of life than she had -- a life with less labor -- a life with more to see and do -- a more modern life in the city?"

Carol: "At first I like being a secretary in a growing company. I liked my paycheck and being able to buy things. That's where I met Michael."Emma: "But the glitter of it subsided when you realized that what you really longed for was a home and children of your own."

Carol: "Yes, that's right. I never admitted this to my mother or honored her by telling her how thankful I was for her love and care, for teaching me by example, for pointing out without words what is the most precious thing in a woman's life---her family."

When the children get back with Michael from their trip to town, the chidlren tell Carol they saw the sunflowers they planted earlier at their old house. Carol is disappointed because the move to the country interrupted their sunflower growth charts.